Poll: Best Truckers Accounting Software

I use QuickBooks saves me $1000,s of dollars a year,i keep all paperwork receipts and turn it in to my CPA,at the end of YEAR!
O yeah i fogot,i get EVERY VERSION of SOFTWARE absolutely FREE, :smt071Ancient Chinese Secret:smt068

 

I vote: other.

I created my own accounting system that is custom tailored to my business, but if that is outside ones skill set quickbooks is a nice program.

 

I have been using Trucknpro for several years. I have been pretty satisfied with it. I have used several other accounting programs, but Trucknpro is designed specifically for this industry and is very simple to use. If I were not using Trucknpro I might use something like Quickbooks Pro. Other than simplicity, I like that their software helps track maintenance, drivers and other things specific to trucking, such as IFTA. Unless you use a program specifically designed for trucking you will need to find other ways in which to keep track of your IFTA, maintenance, etc., Another feature I like is that the program keeps my data on MY computer rather than in some unknown cloud. Some software has gone to renting their software with a monthly fee rather than being able to buy the program outright. With Trucknpro you pay a fee to purchase the program, download it to your computer and then never pay another fee unless you choose to buy one of their other programs.

 

Most of the trucking software that I have used has limitations on the number of trucks you can use with their software. Some will allow you to pay a higher rate to enable you to add more trucks. Trucknpro Biz Manager (their newest version) will allow you to add an unlimited number of trucks and trailers. It allows you to set it up for hauling containers (if that is all you do) or cars or for LTL in addition to hauling Truckload. I am not sure Quick Books would be the best choice for those owning multiple trucks. Some reasons for having a trucking specific software, such as Trucknpro is that we are required to have a maintenance file for our equipment. I don't know how you would set that up in Quick Books. It is already set up with the Biz Manager program. It also has a driver qualifications file. You can scan your driver's CDL, medical card application and any other information on each driver and put it in an electronic file. With this software, you will assign each load to a specific driver. If anything comes up with the load, you can easily look it up. The software enables you to print up a number of reports. Another feature I like if you have drivers is that you can set it up to calculate their gross pay by mileage, percentage, hourly or hundredweight. That flexibility makes it easy to calculate detention. It doesn't calculate the taxes for payroll, but that is fairly easy to calculate or you could set up that part of your payroll in a spreadsheet. That is what I did at one time. I had a spreadsheet set up for each driver. Once you set up the rates, it is easy to do your payroll. You transfer the deductions into the Trucknpro software. If you have hundreds or thousands of drivers, this might not work as well for you. But, it is an inexpensive way for a smaller carrier, fleet owner or independent to keep their accounting current. You can print out a settlement sheet for each driver by the load or whenever you do your payroll. The way it is set up also works very well if you have owner operators or others who work on a 1099.

When I originally set up my maintenance files using the software, I set it up where I could track PM's and tires separately. It isn't something that is necessary, but it enabled me to get a better idea of where my money was going. When you put the maintenance expenses into the program, you can assign it to a specific truck or trailer. If it were not for the various reporting requirements we must do, Quick Books might work. But, with all the difference compliance records, I have found it to be easy to use and the program provides the information I need to run my business. IFTA is a feature that is incorporated into most of their software. You can either use it or not. If you own a fleet of trucks and are leased to another carrier, you don't necessarily need to use the IFTA feature, but it is a good way to track those costs and will help you check your carrier for those deductions.

If you put the information in correctly, you can see the mpg and expenses for each driver and truck. It will show you a profit and loss on each truck or for the entire fleet. When you put the load into the system, you start with revenue and it guides you through each of the expenses. It will carry forward the pro number for each load and once you key in your shipper or consignee, it will automatically fill in the information. It will also do the same thing with your costs. It will auto fill the mileage from the previous load and will keep deadhead miles separate from the loaded miles. In any business, reliable information is critical. You can see how much deadhead your drivers are doing and will automatically calculate your cost and profit per mile. With this new version you don't really need any other accounting program. At one time I used an early version of Trucknpro and another program called Easy Trucking. I found that I preferred Trucknpro, mostly because of the simplicity of the program. With this new version of the program, I don't think that I will need anything else.

Specific tax issues, such as depreciation can be handled by your tax preparer or keyed into this program. I would suggest you go to their website and check out the program. There is a training video on the program you can download. It gives a good idea of the capabilities of the software. You should be able to see if it will work in your situation.

 

I use quickbooks and paid for some programming to be done when I started the company.

I got tired of trying to find a fleet manager program which I can swap data to and from for my accountant so the programming that was needed wasn't too costly after trying to find a software package that would work for months - time is money.

 

Well if it means anything to u,i have quickbooks on laptop and on my tablet.

I find my quick books on the tablet a problem solver,if i get a load the email is on my tablet,
when i go in and get fuel at a truckstop i save the PO number, trip number,fuel gallons,reg price verses discounted price and date all there in the tablet,

if i purchase any thing food,supplies,clothes ,parts shop breakdown,tires,

i take a quick pic of my receipts so even if i fumble around and loose some in the truck or out and about,i can always reprint if need be,Fuel taxes made simple whatever state you go to you pay fuel taxes at the pump,just save it and put in at the end of the month,and it automatically puts it in its monthly,stately file,

whatever it goes rite to quick books all coneveinetly done on tablet,Everymonth i print out statements for all accounts,even have the Fuel account linked to quickbooks,its like anything once you get it its alot,but you can tailor it to your liking.

 

The Trucknpro people were talking about making changes to their program which would allow customers to export data into Quickbooks. I know a lot of accountants use Quickbooks. I don't know if they ever worked that out. With the reports and profit and loss you can print from the program, your accountant would have all the information he would need. I did not realize you could alter the Quickbooks program. What changes did you make with the Quickbooks program that made it work for you? I do understand what you are saying about not being able to find exactly what you want in trucking software. Other than this new Trucknpro program, the only other trucking program that I found that would provide me what I needed was Truckers Helper. But, I would have to purchase their largest program to get what I wanted and it was a little more complex to use.

 

G/Man:

#1) Will Truckinpro let me ..... I haul cars. some pay COD some over time. I need a good, EASY way to track which cars have been paid for and which still owe. I think the rest of my questions you already answered above....


#2) With Quickbooks it is my understanding that I can set it up to automatically download and enter my monthly credit card statement to show each charge. Can TnP do anything like that?


Ridgeline: Same paid/unpaid tracking question for you about QB...